Global deformations

[Anonymous]

I use Fusion 360 mostly for jewelry design. The biggest missing creative capability with Fusion 360 for me is global defomations: The ability to take an arbitrary model (or volume of space) and deform it, for example using an FFD cage, or other deformer models (twist and bend probably the most important alternatives). 

I use another software package that allows me to do this with arbitrary models (solids and surface models), and it is incredibly useful: Many shapes I create are much easier to model un-deformed, and then deformed as a whole. Key to this is globabl deformation of an entire model hierarchy, not just of individual parts.

[herzinj]

Global deformations are something that we have seen and talked about more as specific features, and less as the complete tool set.  Some of these features might be added into the software sooner than others, such as bend (vote for it here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation-request-a/bend-body/idi-p/5291287).  Others will need more investigation on our part, but I would like to hear what other deformations you would like and the priority they might have.  Please let me know, and perhaps some of the use cases for each.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

bend is certainly a great start - I'll take it any day 🙂

When talking about simple deforms, of course generalized tapering and twisting would be in the list. I design a lot of jewelry and other objects where I like a bit more irregularity then I get with a single bend. I often find that an FFD cage, where each of the control ppoints of the deformation cage can be controlled individually, makes it easier to get irregular results.

From a user's perspective, I suppose an FFD cage arguably can be seen as a generalization of simple deforms such as bend, twist or taper...

In short, yes - i'd love to have fast bend, twist and taper applicable to entire models (including solids and forms and multiple bodies), with task specific adorners to control the process (e.g. place the center point, the bend axis, maybe an influence area, and then manipulate interactively to get the desired bend). I'd also love to be able to apply multiple deforms (e.g. multiple bends) for more complex and irregular results. For even greater freedom, an FFD cage with direct control point manipulation of the cage would be very desirable, too.